Sir Henry Royce Memorial Lecture

History

A brief history of the lecture

The first Sir Henry Royce Memorial Lecture was organised in 1992 by the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE), in association with the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation. 

Initially run biannually, it is now given annually by a distinguished speaker in the field of transport who has done much to perpetuate Sir Henry Royce’s engineering philosophy – the pursuit of excellence.  

The Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation annually presents a gold medal to the speaker. The Institution of Engineering and Technology is proud to continue these lectures.

A brief history on Sir Henry Royce

At the early age of 15, Royce was an engineer apprenticed to the Great Northern Railway Company at Peterborough, and by 1882 he was chief electrical engineer for Liverpool’s first electric street-lighting system. 

In 1904 he built three experimental cars of his own design their outstanding qualities came to the attention of the motor dealer C.S. Rolls.  In 1906 Rolls and Royce formalized their partnership by creating Rolls-Royce Limited, with Royce appointed chief engineer and works director.

In October 1928 he began design of the “R” engine and less than a year later the “R” engine designed in his studio in the village set a new world air speed record of 357.7 miles per hour and won the Schneider Trophy of 1929.

Following the success of the “R” engine, Royce went on to develop the “P.V.12” engine. Later, the PV12 became the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine which went on to change the course of the Second World War.  

 See also 

• Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation